Halloween is a favorite around our house but let’s be real, who has the time or money for extravagant costumes? Ordering months in advance or searching high and low for something out of stock is not on my to-do list! Sometimes we all need something simple, quick, and cheap. 

Over the years I’ve learned a few tips and tricks on how to put together a Halloween costume last minute. Below are 5 great ideas you can do the night of, at home! 

1. Skeleton

   

All you need is a couple of T-shirts and a pair of scissors. A white shirt, that is more fitted if possible, and then a black shirt that is one or two sizes larger. You don’t need to do anything to the white shirt, it will simply be layered under the black one. For the black shirt you fold it in half, hot dog style, and either draw your skeleton rib cage pattern with chalk, and cut it out with scissors, or free cut out your design. You want to make sure it’s folded down the middle so your design comes out even on both sides. To finish off the look you can use every day over the counter makeup to create a simple skeleton face and you are ready to go! 

2. Mummy

It doesn’t get much more simple than this. You can literally wear any clothes you’d like but I would suggest light colors such as whites, creams or khakis. Then, most of us have some old white bedsheets lying around, but if not, snag the cheapest ones you can find. From there, rip and cut them into strips – make sure you do varying widths and lengths. Feel free to go the extra mile and use tea bags to antique the sheets to provide that worn in look. The makeup with this option is also super simple. You lighten the face with either white Halloween makeup or a very light everyday powder, then just darken around the eyes a little and voila!

3. Emoji 

A really fun option that has possibilities for the whole family to showcase their individual personalities is DIY emoji costumes. To start, all you need is a yellow T-shirt. For the emoji face, you could use fabric pieces, felt, or even construction paper to cut out the design. You could also use a Cricut or similar product if you have access to those tools. If you happen to be a skilled artist, try painting or drawing the emoji face on the fabric. Just open up your phone, scroll through the options and pick the one that speaks to you the most. 

4. Boo from Monsters, Inc.

As long as you can find the correct colors at the last minute, you won’t believe how simple this one is! Here you go … pink T-shirt, purple leggings, white socks, hair in pigtails … DONE! You could also easily make coordinating family costumes with a blue T-shirt for Sully and a green T-shirt for Mike. For those you would cut out the face designs the same as you would for an emoji face in the previous option. 

5. Cat Lady

I saved the best for last! My personal favorite for a last minute costume is cat lady. This is such a fun, unique idea and for most of us, it doesn’t require any extra purchases. The base of this costume can be any pajama set. Next you’ll need a robe and some house shoes. Attach a few stuffed animal kitties to the robe, put in hair rollers and it’s complete! This one always brings a few laughs and stands out in the mix of more traditional costumes. 

Most of these options can be done with no additional purchases but of course there are always some other simple last minute options you can pick up in most stores or on Amazon. Some common choices that are easy to find last minute are cat ears, fairy wings, Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears and of course a superhero or monster mask.

The holidays are a favorite time of year and certainly fun but can easily cause so much stress and overthinking. Hopefully these ideas can help you spend minimal time preparing and more time enjoying! 

Did we miss any other simple, easy costumes? Let us know a favorite of yours in the comments!